“Fuck you and your badge, bitch,” he yells at me, spittle flying from his mouth. “I want to see my son.”
Shocked at his words, all I can do is stare at him. “Your son? Bear’s your son?”
“Yeah, sad but true.” I have no idea where the man materialized from, but those words are spoken by Bear. He grips the man at my front door by his collar and yanks him around to face him. “Listen up, old man. I’m only going to say this once. Get the fuck out and don’t come back here. If you do, I’m going to finish that beating I started nineteen years ago.”
The man struggles in Bear’s hold. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to, you little c-”
A single punch to the jaw cuts his words off as he falls to the ground, out cold. “Call it in,” I hear Bear say as he bends over his father, pulling first one pants leg and then the other up to reveal an ankle monitor.
I do as I’m told and call the disturbance in.
It’s an hour by the time the guys have been by to pick up Bear’s father and take our statements. Seeing them out, one of my colleagues stops long enough to ask, “You sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah, I’m good. Really. It was just so random, you know?”
“I hear that. Well, if you’re sure, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yep. I’ll see you then.”
Closing the door behind him, I turn to find Bear standing at the end of my short entry way. In arm’s reach. If I only had the courage to reach out. Instead, I brush past him to the kitchen.
“I was just fixing some coffee when your father knocked. Can I get you a cup?”
“No, I’m good, thanks. Can I talk to you? About what happened the other night?” I’ve not seen the intense look on Bear’s face before.
“Is something wrong?”
“No. Yes. No – it’s – fuck.” He scrubs his hands over his face, fatigue written all over him. A thought strikes me.
“Bear, when was the last time you slept?”
“I had a short nap on the plane. But a full night’s sleep? Not since the night before we left.”
“This ... talk. Can’t it wait? So you can get some decent sleep first?” I ask, hoping to delay whatever bad news he has. Considering how we parted ways, it’s probably to tell me the whole friends-with-benefits isn’t beneficial for him anymore.
“No. There’s no better time than the present – isn’t that what they say?”
“But I can see how exhau—”
“Eloise, stop.” Blowing out a breath, Bear hangs his head. “I may be bushed, but there is nowhere else I’d rather be than here. I know things were awkward between us back at the hospital. That’s why I’m here. I want to make things right with you.”
“Oh.” It’s all I can manage through the surprise. I would have bet a month’s salary he’d come to tell me he was done.
“Come. Sit. Please, princess?”
I know it’s not considered politically correct, but God I love when he calls me princess. Resistance melting at his plea, I take a seat on the sofa. Bear drags my coffee table closer, then takes a seat directly opposite me. Elbows resting on his knees, his hands dangle between them. The way he’s sitting gives the illusion of being relaxed, when the tightness I can see in his shoulders belies the image.
“Before I get to the meat of it, I want to apologize to you for my father’s behavior. I’d heard via the grapevine he was being released on parole early for good behavior. What a joke. I’m sorry if he scared you. I don’t even have the first clue how he found his way to your address.”
“I’m good. I deal with mean drunks like him all the time at work. That’s no biggie.”
“Yeah, it is. I don’t want him bringing his drunk ass around. Ever. I shudder to think if we were still away.”
“Bear, I can handle myself. You forget what I do for a living. Besides. I could always call for backup if I feel I need it.”
“Fair enough.” He reaches out and grasps one of my hands, rubbing a thumb gently across the top of it. We sit like that for a long time, the ticking of my wall clock the only sound in the room. Finally, when I can’t stand it any longer, I speak up. “Bear?”
“Hm?”
